Synopsis : Tommy's father, RAF Group Captain Walker, is away fighting the Germans in World War II. His plane is shot from the air even before Tommy is born. His mother, Nora Walker, receives the news while at work in a munitions factory filling bombs with ball bearings. Mrs. Walker faints and brings boxes of the ball bearings down with her. Mrs. Walker then gives birth to a baby boy, Tommy. Tommy's mother believes her husband is dead for nearly six years.
She meets Frank Hobbs at a holiday camp and starts a relationship with him.
However, Group Captain Walker had survived the crash and returns home one night. Tommy follows him to the bedroom where Walker sees Mrs. Walker and Hobbs in each other's arms. Hobbs kills Group Captain Walker by smashing a lamp on his head. The act is witnessed by young Tommy. Tommy is then told in a violent manner that he "didn't hear it, didn't see it" and "won't say nothing to no-one,". As a result, Tommy mentally becomes deaf, dumb, and blind to avoid it.
The film jumps ahead ten years, and Tommy, now a young man, is being taken by his mother and stepfather on various attempts to cure him, including a religious cult and the Acid Queen (Tina Turner), a woman dealing in acid who sends Tommy on a wild trip that ultimately fails to awaken him. Meanwhile, his parents are somewhat negligent of Tommy, and leave him at the hands of his cruel cousin Kevin, who beats him, and his perverted uncle Ernie, who molests him.
Tommy's only stimulus seems to come from a long mirror that he stands and stares into. Led alone into a junkyard at night by a vision of himself, Tommy comes into contact with a device that will change his life forever. A pinball machine scattered among the scrap metal allows Tommy to rise to national prominence and fame. Tommy's pinball prowess and defeat of the Pinball Champ (Elton John) transforms him into a cult hero.
Nora and Frank take Tommy to a medical specialist (Jack Nicholson), who confirms that Tommy's problems are psychosomatic. Filled with guilt and anger, Tommy's mother throws him into the mirror he stares into, shattering it. The violent act wakes Tommy into normality once more. He uses his new awareness to try and bring enlightenment to people. He starts giving talks and enlightening people by canvassing.
Tommy's stepfather exploits him to make more money and eventually Tommy becomes a worldwide religious icon. Tommy sets up a holiday camp of his own, one that caters to his cult; but the mob soon rebels against his strict rules and fervor. They burn down the camp, killing Tommy's mother and step-father in the process. Tommy is left alone, but with a greater sense of self-awareness as he faces a new dawn.